First time’s a charm

Cabot banker, lawyer adds state representative to résumé

By Amy Widner

LITTLE ROCK — Becoming a banker, a lawyer - these are things 33-year-old Davy Carter of Cabot had challenged himself to achieve and already conquered.

But politician? That was a new one.

“I found myself complaining a lot,” Carter said. “I thought to myself, ‘I can sit here and complain for the rest of my life, or I can see if I can make a positive difference.’”

Carter will represent District 48 - which includes Cabot, Ward and Austin - in the Arkansas Legislature. Carter, who was in banking and now has his own law practice in Cabot, had actually thought about getting involved in politics for some time. He decided this was the year, and after defeating an opponent during the Republican primary, the clouds aligned for him to run unopposed duringthe general election.

Tracy French, president/CEO of Community Bank and Carter’s former boss, said he believes in Carter’s abilities. He has seen Carter put his mind to things and knows to expect results.

“I’ve told him before: ‘You’re going to be a success at whatever you do. You have that kind of personality,’” French said.

Carter impressed French as a young man who walked into French’s office, was hired and put to work that same evening. He watched Carter give it his all at the bank while working his way through law school at night. Now French is excited to see what Carter will bring to the table as a representative.

“He’s a do-right guy,” French said. “He listens. He wants to do the right thing for all situations. If all of our politicians had the kind of do-right rule in them like he does, our country and state wouldbe in pretty good shape. I think the world of him.”

Looking forward, Carter is already thinking about how to use his time in office to tackle the issues that are important to him and those that will most likely define the 2009 legislative session.

“First and foremost, I’m going to be looking for a way to put more money back in the taxpayers’ pockets,” Carter said. “Whether through direct tax decreases or however I can do it. That’s my primary goal.

“I think that the lottery issue isgoing to be a big deal, how that’s going to get implemented. My concern there is that I want to make sure the money is right.

“Education, that continues to be a big issue that is very important to the entire state. K through 12, that’s the industry [in Cabot]. It drives everything. I want to work closely with [Cabot School District Superintendent Tony] Thurman and make sure we’re making the right decisions there.

“I also think the Legislature will be taking a hard look at higher education and how they’refunding it and some of the issues there.”

Carter grew up in Marianna, in Lee County, where his family was in the farming business. He got his bachelor’s degree at Arkansas State University and moved back to Marianna to go into the banking business. He went to the Louisiana Graduate School of Banking and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law. He moved to Cabot in February 2003, started working for Community Bank and then started practicing law.

He and his wife, Cara, are celebrating their 11th anniversary this week. They have three children: Jackson, 8; John David, 4; and Anna, 2. Jackson attends East Side Elementary, which Carter said is a wonderful school - just one of the many things he’s come to appreciate about his adopted community.

“No. 1, the people here are first class,” Carter said. “There’s a lot of opportunity here in the area. It’s a place where I feel comfortable raising my kids. It’s not a concern of mine when I go to bed at night - I don’t have to worry about the safety and welfare of my children. And with our proximity to Little Rock, we have the best of all worlds here: that small-town feeling with access to all the amities over there as well.”

Carter will serve on the Judiciary Committee and State Agencies Committee.

- awidner@ arkansasonline.com

Three Rivers, Pages 105 on 11/23/2008